Volume 01 No.

01
Mar 20 16 Pakk.co.uk

Fundamentals of Photography
 Welcome & Thank You
Thank you so much for showing an interest in Pakk - it really means a lot. We want to build a
community of interested and engaged photographers of any ability and are so pleased you are
a part of this.

This document aims to cover some of the basic principles of Photography, to help you capture
great shots.

Before fully getting into photography, you must understand the basic fundamentals and
principles of your camera. We want to help you to turn the dial away from Auto to help you
understand the mechanics of a camera and help you to get the shots you want .

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 CO N T E N T S

Introduction P ROJ ECT I DEAS

04 W h at i s p h otog r a p h y 2 2  P ROJ ECT 3 65

06 T y p e s o f C a m e r a 2 2 A DAY I N THE L I FE

08 CHOOS I NG A CAMERA 2 3 SHOOT I NG A THEME

2 3 ONE SU B J ECT - 1 O P HOTOS

THE B AS I CS
T h a n k yo u
12 T h e bi g 3
2 6 T h a n k yo u !
14 SHUTTER S P EED

15 A P ERTURE

17 I SO & E X P OSURE

18 METER I NG MODES

19 SHOO MODES

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 I N T R O D U C T I O N TO

P H OTOG R A P H Y

INTRODUCTION TO
PHOTOGRAP HY
Never Miss A Moment

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 I n t r o d u c t i o n To

P h otog r a p h y

“Photography is not about the cameras, gadgets and

gismos. Photography is about photographers. A camera
didnt make a great picture anymore than a typewriter
makes a great novel” Peter Adams

w h at i s p h otog r a p h y ?
Simply put, photography is the art, science and practice of creating a fixed
stable image, by recording light, either electronically, using an image sensor
or chemically by means of light sensitive material such as film. A lens is
used to focus the light reflected or emitted from the subject onto the light-
sensitive surface inside a camera.

H ow do e s a f il m c a m e r a w o r k ?
This old-style camera makes photos with a film, a thin flexible strip of plastic
or other material coated with light-sensitive emulsion. The emulsion is made
of silver halide crystals, that will capture the image when exposed to light.
When you press a button, your camera activates a mechanism called the
shutter, which makes a hole (the aperture) open for a fraction of a second
at the front of the camera, allowing light to enter through the lens. When
the light passes through to the film, the silver halide crystals turn into silver
ions. The density of the silver ions, compared with the remaining silver
halide, represents the intensity of the light in that area of the picture. Thus,
the image is stored on the film until processed.

H ow do e s a D I G I TA L CAMERA W ORK ?
Digital cameras work in a similar but completely different way. When you
press the button on your digital camera, an aperture opens and lets the
light stream in through the lens. The light is then captured and turned into
electrical signals by a piece of electronic called a charge-coupled device
(CCD). The CCD breaks it up into millions of pixels, measures the color
and brightness of each pixel and stores it as a number. Ultimately, a digital
photo is a long string of numbers describing the exact details of each pixel it
contains. Once a picture is stored in numeric form, it can be shared between
different gadgets, edited on the laptop or uploaded online. “Digital” is a kind
of language that all electronic gadgets “speak” today.

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P h otog r a p h y

Types of camera

co m pac t S y s t e m
The camera that used to dominate the world of the digital
camera, a camera that is likely to be extinct in the not so distant
future. A camera with a digital zoom usually used by dads
purchased before a family holiday.

B r i dg e
A bridge camera is a form of compact camera...but bigger. These
cameras have an attached, non inter-changeable zoom lens. It
has the look and feel of a DSLR with an electronic viewfinder.
These tend to be cheaper than a DSLR and offering decent
output without the added benefit of an inter-changeable lens.

Mi r r o r l e s s
These cameras are the newest generation of compact system
cameras that often have the power and sensors of a full frame
DSLR without the weight and the size. These cameras tend to
be equipped with an electronic viewfinder that may make you
feel less connected to the subject or less accurate. Conversely
at Pakk we quite enjoy the realistic version of the shot the
electronic viewfinder can provide.

M e d i u m F o r m at
These are the biggest, most serious cameras. They have huge
sensors compared to the standard 35mm that you will typically
find in an DSLR. These tend to be used for high-end commercial
shoots to maintain the highest quality for billboards etc

Dslr
The stalwart of the digital camera world, integral part of
photography for amateurs, hobbyists and professionals alike.
In the pre-digital age these were just SLR’s (Single Lens Reflex
Cameras). These tend to be quite clunky cameras with a huge
array of lenses that can be attached for a range of purposes.
Focusing and framing on these cameras are easier, quicker and
more precise. More recent models come packed with all sorts
of features including fantastic HD filming. If you are seriously
wanting to get into photography, this has to be you only choice!

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P H OTOG R A P H Y

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 I n t r o d u c t i o n To

P h otog r a p h y

C H OOS I N G A CAMERA

RESO L UT I ON
In years past, the megapixel number was the most important thing to look
at. The number of pixels determined how big you could print an image while
maintaining a clear, non-pixelated image. Nowadays, you won’t find many
DSLRs under 10 megapixels (big enough to print poster sizes), so it isn’t
much of an issue.

The thing to look for now is the sensor size. The sensor size determines the
quality of the pixels. 10 million pixels on a small sensor looks different than
10 million on a large sensor. There are many different size sensors out there
and they generally get more expensive as they get bigger.

I n t e r fac e & Co n f i g u r at i o n
Take note of how quickly you can move through the menus of a particular
camera and how intuitive the buttons are to use. If possible visit a camera
shop to see the interfaces first hand. You want to find a DSLR body that’s
easy and fast to use. It should be something that is intuitive and comfortable.
If the technology is clunky or the important functions take too many steps to
access, keep looking.

L e n s Op t i o n s
In the world of photography there are two camera manufacturers that are
making the majority of the equipment out there and have the majority of
the resources to devote to updates: Canon and Nikon. They have more lens
options than any other company, more used lenses on the market, more
support from other consumers, and a better chance of being in business
when you are ready to upgrade.

Buying a camera is investing in a system, and once you’ve invested £100 or

£100,000 in a particular manufacturer’s lenses, you will be less likely to want
to change systems. There are few other companies with a good selection of
lenses. Just make sure you do your homework on what is available before
you buy into a system.

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P H OTOG R A P H Y

Si z e & W e i g h t
Take some time to evaluate what you are willing to carry around with you.
You may want an expensive and full-featured DSLR, but if it’s so heavy that
you are unwilling to carry it, a more stripped-down version may be more
suitable.

B u il d Q ua li t y
Ask yourself what kind of build quality is necessary for the type of work you
wish to do. Camera bodies are usually made of plastic, metal or some type of
alloy. The tougher the conditions and more extreme temperatures you find
yourself shooting in, the more rigid a body you would want. Weatherproofing
is also important for people that are shooting in dusty areas or wet climates.
More expensive cameras are able to withstand more of the elements before
it affects picture quality

Ot h e r Co n s i d e r at i o n s
• Budget is usually the largest factor in a DSLR purchase, as they can range
from £200 to around £5000. When making a budget, keep in mind that
you also need to purchase memory cards and perhaps an extra battery,
external flash and a bag.

• The burst speed and maximum shutter speed are important for some
photographers, like people capturing sports or wildlife.

• Low light performance and maximum ISO speed may be important if you
cover events or in dim situations without a flash.

• Lastly, make sure the LCD display size is large enough that you can see
what you arephotographing and get a good idea if the subject is in focus.

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 THE BASICS

THE B AS ICS

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 The Basics

The Big 3
Becoming an accomplished photographer requires distinct skill sets. You
must learn how to drive your camera, to tune in and compose your image,
and to control the post production process so you can print and share. In
order to ‘drive; your camera you have to understand The Big Three. These
are the fundamental functions that govern the exposure and your images.

The Big Three:

• Shutter Speed
• Aperture
• ISO

We will run through the big 3 and exposure on the following pages

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 section two

S h u t t e r Sp e e d
Simply put, shutter speed is the amount of time your shutter is open. The
shutter opens to let in light and the amount of time the shutter is open has a
significant impact on your imge. When looking at your camera your shutter
speed is written as 1/(a number). This means that your shutter is open for
1/(whatever the #) of a second. The slower your shutter speed is open the
more light the camera will let in, the opposite applies the faster your shutter
speed.

Shutter speed varies hugely depending on what it is that you are shooting,
the amount of light, the amount of movement, whether you have a tripod
etc. If you want to photograph a crystal clear image of a fast moving car you
will need a shutter speed around 1/2000. Conversely if you want to blur fast
moving water a 1/8 shutter speed will be necessary.

If you are in a low light situation you will require a slower shutter speed.
From experience we believe the slowest handheld shutter speed is between
1/80 and 1/50 of a second. Focal length will also have an influence on camera
shake so bear this in mind.

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 THE BASICS

APerture
As with pretty much everything in photography, aperture is all about light.
THe aperture is all centred around a diaphragm - this is essentially a hole
that determines how much light is let into the camera. Aperture ranges
generally from F1.2 up to F22. Confusingly, the LOWER the number the
MORE light is let in by the camera:

The aperture is key to producingbeautiful blurry backgrounds known as

‘bokeh’. The smaller the number - the less that is in focus, this creates
the blurry background. Aperture is also central to having crystal clear
landscapes - the higher the f stop, the greater amount of the image in focus:

Aperture can be used in a wide range of ways, from creating beautiful blurry
backgrounds for portraits to crystal clear landscape image. As with all
aspects of photography it takes practice to master and perfect.

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 section two

Volume 01  No. 01  Feb 2016 

 THE BASICS

I SO
(pronounced by the letters – I – S – O)

ISO is often explained as the worker bees of your camera. If your ISO is
set at 100, imagine your camera ise sending out 100 worker bees to bring
back the light for you. If you set it higher, 1600 for example, you send out
more worker bees, 1600 in this case, to bring back light for you. The lower
the number the less light. With high levels of ISO you will often encounter
something called ‘noise’. If you image having lots of ‘bees’ out grabbing light,
they may cause your image to look a little grainy or pixelated. If your photo
is properly exposed it shouldn’t matter what your ISO is set at because it
shouldn’t be grainy.

Typically if you are outside shooting then you can have a lower ISO such as
100 or 200. If you are indoors with low lighting you may want to increase
your ISO to around 800.

Remember: Lower ISO = less light / Higher ISO = more light

Exp o s u r e
The in-camera exposure meter will indicate if the current ISO, shutter
speed and aperture will result in an over-exposed, under-exposed or proper
exposure.

By adjusting these three things you will be moving the “ticker” back and forth
in your light meter. Ideally, you want to adjust them so that the ticker is on
the zero. It is considered a properly exposed picture if the ticker is on the
zero.

Here is our preferred technique:

1. Set aperture – We decide what kind of shut we are aiming for and set this
accordingly (crystal clear vs low light etc)

2. Set shutter speed – Focusing again on the shot and adjust accordingly. If
your “ticker” is not where you want it after adjusting these two, then …

3. Change ISO – Try to do this one last to ensure your ISO stays at the
lowest possible number

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 The Basics

M e t e r ing M o d e s
Work to optimise exposure by measuring the brightness of your subject

Canon Ni ko n

Center weighter metering gives priority Spot metering takes a reading from a
to the center of the photograph ‘spot’ of the image.

• Takes a wider area than partial
metering into consideration
• Useful when your subject is in the
centre of your photograph
Evaluative metering is the default
setting on most cameras
• Uses the whole frame to assess the
appropriate metering
• Useful when elements are at different
distances from your lens
• Usually measures 1-5% of total scene
• Useful for high contrast scenes or
back-lit subjects
Partial metering takes a reading from a
larger circular area
• Usually measures up to 15% of the
total scene
• Useful for portraits of people a
similar distance from your lens

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 THE BASICS

Sh ooting M o d e s

P r og r a m au to m at i c
Sets your aperture and shutter speed automatically, but gives
you control over other settings like ISO (therating that affects
how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light—similar to film
speed in film cameras).

Shutter Priority
Allows you to set the shutter speed and ISO but allows the
camera to set the aperture automatically. This mode is useful
if the shutter speed is the most important consideration when
taking a photo. This is often the case when you want to make
sure you take a photo fast enough to capture motion but do not
care about theaperture. This is useful for photography sports,
dance, or anything with a lot of movement

Ap e r t u r e P r i o r i t y
Allows you to set the aperture and ISO but lets the camera
set the shutter speed automatically. This is useful when
the aperture is the most important consideration in your
photograph. Aperture priority is one of the best shooting modes
your camera has because you can still control your ISO settings
(light sensitivity) and the shutter speed is often something
that’s best left for the camera to decide unless you have a
reason to choose it yourself.

M a n ua l M o d e
Lets you set everything, and we’ll be discussing this mode
in detail in the next lesson. It’s worth noting, however, that
this mode does not imply manual focus with DSLR cameras.
Switching between manual and automatic focus is generally a
dedicate hardware toggle switch on your lens and not on the
camera. If you want to focus manually on a DSLR, you can use
any shooting mode you want if the switch is set to manual on the
lens.

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 P r oj e c t I d e a s

PROJECT
IDEAS

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 P r oj e c t I d e a s

P r oj e c t I d e a s
P ROJ ECT 36 5
This is a simple one and popular within the Pakk team. You simply take an
image each day, every day, for the whole year. This will encourage you to get
creative and capture your daily life and can be treated like a photo journal.
There are plenty of sites which give great ideas on some photographs to take
if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by trying to shoot everyday. You can
start a Project 365 at any time, it doesn’t need to be the 1st of January!

A DAY I N THE L I FE
It is a simple idea, you simply photograph elements of your day from the
minute you wake up to the minute you go to sleep. You can take photos
randomly as you go about your day, or one at the same time every hour. It’s
a fantastic project to document your everyday life, and things you wouldn’t
normally think to capture.

01 01 2016 
 P r oj e c t I d e a s

SHOOT A THEME
It is a simple idea, you simply photograph elements of your day from the
minute you wake up to the minute you go to sleep. You can take photos
randomly as you go about your day, or one at the same time every hour. It’s
a fantastic project to document your everyday life, and things you wouldn’t
normally think to capture.

ONE SU B J ECT - 10 P HOTOS

If you really want to try and stretch your creativity and don’t have time for a
long drawn out project, grab any object and challenge yourself to photograph
it in around 10 different ways. Think about angles, light, colour and so on,
to produce a different image each time. This photo project is fantastic for
helping you think about perspective and composition.

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Ut rutrum, nibh at ullamcorper tempus, risus est
convallis augue, ac ornare velit leo quis purus.
nteger efficitur nibh eget purus ultricies.
THANKYOU

Thank you so much for showing an interest in Pakk. We want to create a bag that really
understands the needs of photog raphers and we cannot do it without your help. Please
spread the word and help make Pakk a reality
 “Photography for
me is not looking,
it’s feeling. If you
can’t feel what you’re
looking at, then you’re
never going to get
others to feel anything
when they look at
your pictures.”
Don McCullin